Sword of Origin: Protector of Zero
by WhizkidHV
Summary: The Sword of Akasha. In the Grail War, he protected them, saved them. Afterwards, he continued to do so until their time came to an end. A Sword. That was all he was... and now he was a sword without purpose. In the end, it seemed that his Fate was just to return to his Origin; to be erased and start anew. A Sword cannot change... but it may recall what it had once lost.
1. Sword of Origin: Zero

**_Sword of Origin: Zero_**

* * *

The Sword opened his eyes. That was strange. He had believed the nuclear strike would have ended even him. How was it that he was still alive after standing at ground zero?

He shook his head. Irrelevant. What mattered was that he was alive, a state of being he did not expect. Though he had expected it to be the end of his long, long existence, it seemed that He had other plans for him still.

The Sword realized that it wasn't alone. He was standing in an open field, with a castle in the distance. Smoke shrouded the immediate surroundings, but with his 'Eyes of Perception' he could see through it.

Children. They were dressed as wizards and witches were depicted in the games Taiga and Ilya enjoyed playing. Odd, but then he had seen garments of an odder sort among the Clock Tower nobles.

Irrelevant. The Sword discarded that line of thought. The important matter was where he was. The final memory in his mind had been standing below a nuclear war head and a flash of bright light. How was it that he arrived in this area that was the antithesis of nuclear fallout? Not only that, but what was this foreign pulse of energy coursing through his veins?

The smoke cleared.

The crowd of children noticed his presence and began speaking all at once.

The Sword noted a particular name throughout the voices, and the name of a spell. Louise and 'Summon Servant'.

It seemed that he had been summoned then, and that he was likely dead after all. This foreign presence in his system... yes, that must be it. It was a bond between him and his Master.

There was a girl standing before him. Petite, with blonde hair that was tinted pink. Eyes the color of garnets or amber. He had discounted her as another of the crowd, but now he realized that it was she the bond led to.

She took one look at him and then frowned, an expression that hinted at depths further than disappointment. She turned to the crowd of children and said, "Mr. Colbert!"

At her call, the crowd parted and a man emerged from its midst. He was balding and appeared middle-aged, but what drew the Sword's attention was his demeanor.

A warrior, one every bit as skilled as the best of the enforcers he had fought in his battle against the Clock Tower. The man wore a simple black robe, like a majority of the students, but unlike them he carried a heavy wooden staff.

The Sword's eyes flashed a hint of gold, and then he understood the nature of the man's power.

Fire. Though he was able to manipulate other elements, that was the predominant alignment of the warrior that approached, and the skill the man had with the element was enough to harm perhaps even a weak Servant. Impressive for a human.

Though the man hid it beneath a facade of a humble professor, the Sword acknowledged him as the threat he was. Not one that ranked enough to end him, but perhaps wound him.

"What is it, Ms. Valliere?" Like his facade, that voice was one expected of an educated gentleman. He sounded slightly annoyed, but other than that there was no hostility.

"Please! Allow me another try at summoning my familiar!"

The Sword frowned. He saw no signs of a catalyst, so that meant that he was the one most suited to her. Yet, she seemed disappointed.

He resisted the urge to let out a weary sigh. Even now, it seemed that those he was bound to protect did not wish for his presence.

The warrior disguised as a professor shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Ms. Valliere. As I explained at the start of our session, you must summon a familiar upon your graduation to second year. Not only does the familiar you summon determine your elemental specialty, but the Springtime Familiar Summoning is a sacred rite that students must accomplish to progress in their studies."

The girl looked crest-fallen, but made another attempt. "He's a commoner! I've never heard of anyone having a _commoner_ as a familiar! Please, just allow me one more try, Mr. Colbert!"

The Sword tilted his head to the side. It seemed that he was likely mistaken in his initial assessment. While the girl was indeed his Master, it looked like he was not to participate in a Grail War like Emiya Shirou had. Instead, it appeared that the summoning performed was a sort of Origin and Alignment test. If he understood correctly, than his Master should have one suited to a being like himself, meaning she had power rivaling the Creator.

How interesting.

The man, who was called Mr. Colbert it seemed, sighed. "I am sorry, Ms. Valliere, but there can be no exceptions. You _must_ have him as your familiar, whether you want it or not." He put a hand to his chin. "Though there has not been a human summoned as a familiar in the Springtime Familiar Summoning, the rules remain the same: those going into their second year of student must summon a familiar and complete the ritual. I would have allowed another attempt had you failed, but you have indeed summoned a familiar, as strange as the circumstances may be."

The girl slumped. "...I understand, Mr. Colbert." She turned back to the Sword.

For a brief moment, the Sword caught a glimpse of utter defeat, but it was quickly replaced by a haughty expression. "Kneel."

He remained standing and contemplated the girl in front of him. Her expression and that shift. He had seen it before on others that he had known. It was a defense mechanism, one adopted by those who had none to protect them.

"Didn't you hear me, familiar?! I said kneel!"

A forceful command, but the Sword could feel the fragility in those words.

"Oh?" One of the children spoke. "It looks like Louise didn't just summon a commoner, she summoned an idiot!"

The jeers began with that one student.

"Louise the Zero!"

"Failure!"

"You should just give up on magic now, Zero!"

Louise. That was the name of the girl before him. That was the name of his Master.

That was the name of the one he needed to protect.

Tears were starting to form in her eyes, though she tried hard to hide them. Her arm trembled, even as she raised it to wave her wand. Though she tried to put on a brave face, his Master was truthfully as fragile as glass.

For one moment, the Sword considered what his Master must have gone through to become the frail girl before him. In the next, he decided it didn't matter.

The insults and jeers stopped in an instant. The sight of a thousand swords appearing in the air would do that.

With that done, the Sword knelt on the ground before his Master, a calm smile on his face. He gave her a gentle pat on the head, as he used to do to Ilya and the children of those He had given his life for.

* * *

Louise stared at the person she had summoned and gaped at the sight of the blades floating in the air behind him.

A Noble. She had summoned a Noble.

From the sudden appearance of those blades, he had to be at least Square class. Probably Earth-Earth-Earth-Wind or something.

Just the thought of it made her feel faint, and she wanted to run from the spot. Not only had she messed up the summoning, the one spell she thought she had succeeded, but she'd messed it up so bad that the restrictions against summoning other Nobles had been broken.

The man had seemed to be just a commoner. Sure, his white long-coat and silver armor were of fine make, but it was something that mercenaries donned rather than Mages. His startling silver eyes and matching hair were strange, but not that strange considering the varied hair and eye colors across the land. But what he had just done, that was something no commoner could have ever hoped of faking.

When he turned his eyes on her, Louise couldn't help but flinch. For a brief moment, she was reminded of her mother when Louise had done something wrong. The man's expression had been of that same cool anger, a face that promised not rage, but wrath.

And then it softened and he knelt before her with a calm smile.

"Do not worry, Master."

The voice was soft, and yet lacking. Just a touch more than a golem's, yet far from being completely human. Even so, she could sense that there was a lot of meaning to those words.

"From now on, this Sword shall protect you."

He spoke with such conviction, that all Louise could do was nod and finish the ritual.

With a wave of her wand, the incantation, and a swift brush of their lips, it was over.

* * *

The Sword felt a stab of pain in his chest as the foreign energy gathered there. The stab of pain quickly elevated to the level of a searing burn, but he didn't allow that to show on his face.

The children were all quiet, watching the events with either wide-eyes or fearful expressions. In most cases, it was both.

But then it was over, and Mr. Colbert approached the new Master and Servant pair. Sensing hostility from the warrior, the Sword allowed his blades to return to his inner world.

The moment he did, Mr. Colbert relaxed, a smile on his face, and turned to Louise. "Congratulations, Ms. Valliere."

The girl gave a short nod, with an unreadable expression.

Mr. Colbert turned back to the other children and said, "Well, let's return to class. Come students. And do remember to keep your opinions to yourself."

Ah. So the man decided to rule in his charges. Admirable, if not for the necessity of the Sword using his blades to prompt it.

He watched them leave with interest, especially when they used a Mystery allowing flight to do so.

And then it was just him and his Master.

Louise was quiet for a moment, lost in contemplation.

The Sword respected her silence and did not speak, though he was curious of the situation.

Eventually, she asked, "Who are you?"

He smiled. "I am the Sword of Akasha, Master. I will protect you, for now and for always."

Louise frowned for a moment, turning that over in her mind, but then shook her head. "No, I mean your actual name, not your runic one."

"Ah." The Sword's expression faltered, and his calm smile turned to a bitter one. "...I have no name, but this person was once known as Emiya Shirou, Master. Does that answer your question?"

Again, Louise frowned. "I see." She nodded. "Emiya, then. You might be my familiar, but I can't go around treating a Noble like an object now, can I?" She sighed and started walking towards the castle. "Come, Emiya. We may discuss our... partnership on the walk back." Another sigh. "I hope mother won't see this as too much of a scandal..."

"As you wish, Master."

* * *

This is the Tiger Dojo. Take the advice?

Note. Tiger Dojo is a strange hint corner. If you would like to beat the game by yourself, or if you would like to keep the characters' images, please be warned.

1. Yes

2. No

* * *

**Tiger Dojo**

"Yosh!" Taiga, dressed in a white kimono and black hakama, clapped her hands together. "You weren't expecting this now, were you Readers?"

"Hi everyone!" Ilya, dressed in a white t-shirt and purple bloomers, waved. "Osu! Welcome to the first Tiger Dojo of 'A Different Path'!"

"Yes yes, good job student." Taiga nodded, and then turned back to the front. "Now, you're probably wondering what happened here, or why this wasn't in the main story."

"Yeah," Ilya said. "What's going on, Sensei? Shouldn't this be in the other story?"

The boisterous brown-haired woman nodded. "Yes. Yes it should. But the path leading to this ending hasn't occurred yet, so the Wizard can't show it yet."

"Oh, I see! So you mean that this onii-chan is from one of those three endings where-"

"O-oi, Ilya!" Taiga ran up to her student's side and clamped a hand over her mouth. "You can't say that! Anymore and a 'Wizard' will do something to you that even the Third Magic can't fix!"

Ilya nodded, but then frowned at Taiga. "Hey, how do you know about that?"

"Teehee." Taiga grinned. "This is the Tiger Dojo! I know _everything_! Like how Shirou has to-"

This time Ilya clamped Taiga's mouth shut. "Hypocrite! Don't say anything else!"

"Mmph! Mmph!" Taiga nodded, and Ilya stepped back.

"Phew. That was scary, Ilya-chan." She looked at the white-haired girl with wide-eyes. "You went straight for my throat."

"Wait," Ilya said. "Don't we have to tell the Readers how this happened? Won't that mean we have to tell how 'that' path ends?"

Taiga froze. "That's right..."

For a moment, the two looked at the dojo's door with fearful eyes, as if it would open at any moment.

"...Well, it looks like he won't smite us," Taiga said.

"Yeah. Looks like the Wizard's accepted this outcome after all."

"Well, Readers. Since we've gotten the okay from the Wizard, let's get into the meat of this story!" Taiga clapped. "So, Reader-san. You're probably wondering what's wrong with Shirou here."

"Un." Ilya nodded. "Onii-chan's acting really weird. And why is he calling himself the 'Sword'? Even my Archer didn't act like that when he was being a Hero."

"Well, pupil number one. The reason for that's simple. It's not Shirou."

"Eeh?! B-but he's onii-chan!" Ilya frowned. "He looks a lot like Archer, but he's onii-chan, right?"

Taiga sighed. "That idiot did something stupidly Noble in 'that' path. Since his Magic lets him act like God, when he used its full power he had to 'become' God. The soul of Emiya Shirou left the body, and what's left is just a Sword that wields itself in the name of the one it once was."

There was a moment of silence.

"Idiot." Ilya clutched her hands to her side, red eyes blurred with tears.

"I know. Idiot."

"...So then this onii-chan isn't really onii-chan, Sensei?"

"Un." Taiga nodded. "This 'Sword' has Shirou's memories and desires, but he's not the same person. He's like how that idiot was when Kiritsugu first found him."

"Wait," Ilya said. "So does that mean he can become someone like Shirou?"

"Oho, you're quite smart aren't you my pupil? Yes, he will, especially with those runes he got. He's not the 'Left hand of God', but the 'Heart of God'."

Ilya smiled. "Then he'll get a happy ending, won't he? He's not just a sword, right?"

"Well," Taiga said. "Who knows?"

"Mou- that's not fair, Sensei! You're leaving Reader-san here in suspense!"

Taiga sighed. "I know, but the Wizard's saying that we've said enough." She shivered. "And he said that he'd make Shirou leave me in that hospital until the end of the story if I say anything else."

Ilya frowned. "Tyranny! I won't let this-"

A note card appeared in front of the white-haired girl. "What's this?"

'If you keep talking, I'll make Archer die protecting you.'

Ilya froze, and then turned towards the front with a thin smile. "Well, that's all for this Tiger Dojo!"

Taiga gave a stiff nod. "Until next time, Reader-san! Try to keep Shirou out of trouble! And don't let him make a heroic sacrifice to bring-"

The door slammed shut, and the dojo faded back into the darkness from which it came.

**End Tiger Dojo**

* * *

A/N: Right. So I seriously couldn't get this out of my head when I was writing. Now that I've got everything outlined, including the finale, the possibility of Shirou going to other verses popped into my head, and this one in particular just wouldn't leave.

I blame the Hill of Swords and Miracle of Zero for this.

Anyway, this is currently just a one-shot. It obviously takes place after 'A Different Path', which if you haven't read it shouldn't be necessary to enjoy this story, but do note that Shirou will be somewhat out of character when I inevitably continue this.

I don't intend to write anything more for this until I finish 'A Different Path', but since that should be finished in a few months, it won't be long.

Yeah. Hope this was a fun read. If there's any questions and you don't mind being spoiled, leave a review or PM. Otherwise, until the next and thanks for reading.


	2. Sword of Origin: Reason

_**Sword of Origin: Reason**_

Louise frowned in thought. She and Emiya Shirou, the silver-haired man he had summoned, were walking along the open plains back to Tristain Academy. It hadn't been long since the Springtime Familiar Summoning, and the pair were making their way back to Louise's dorm.

Emiya had been silent since they began walking, keeping stride with her on her left side. After a while, Louise realized that he had no intention of talking, and decided to ignore the pit in her stomach from summoning a Noble and said, "So you're my familiar."

"It would appear so, Master." Emiya's words were soft, and slightly flat.

Louise waited for him to elaborate, but again it seemed the silver-haired man had no intention of speaking. Instead, Emiya was scanning the surroundings, his silver eyes flashing gold every now and then as sunlight reached it. At least, that's what she thought was happening.

She shrank into herself. "A-are you mad at me for summoning you?"

Emiya stopped and tilted his head slightly. "Why would I be mad for being summoned, Master?"

Louise straightened a little. That was an encouraging sign. It didn't seem like Emiya would be declaring a blood feud against her for binding him against his will. "W-well, you're a Noble, right?"

There was a brief pause from Emiya, and then he nodded. "In a way, yes. Though I have not held my title for some time now, Master. Is that a concern?"

"Oh." Louise frowned. "So are you a disgraced Noble then? You said earlier that you were 'once known' as Emiya Shirou. Does that mean you were cast off from your family?"

That scenario was slightly less worrying than having summoned an heir to a prominent family. Even if Emiya's name was one she hadn't heard before, it was possible that he was someone important from another country. The name sounded vaguely Romalian, so maybe he was from a minor line there?

"In a way, yes." Emiya had a far-off look in his eyes as he said that. "It's been a while since I've been with them, so that statement is not inaccurate, Master."

That caused Louise's frown to deepen. "Wouldn't your family be mad that I summoned you as a familiar, Emiya? Even if you were cast-off, the thought of serving another Noble like this..."

Louise had to suppress a shiver. If she had been summoned by someone to be a familiar and her mother found out, well Louise doubted that the contract would last much longer. After all, the familiar bond was supposed to enforce absolute obedience and such so that the familiar would-

The thought caused her mind to come to a screeching halt.

By the Founder, the familiar bond ensured absolute obedience. For animals, that made it so that they wouldn't attack their summoner, but for humans? The magic was enough to tame even mighty manticores, which would have never deigned to respect a human. And here was a powerful Noble, albeit cast-off from the main line, who she had summoned to be a familiar. A young man who had been nothing but subservient from the moment he arrived, and one who called her 'Master'.

"Master." Emiya's voice brought Louise out of her thoughts, and she flinched. "Is something the matter?"

Louise forced down her rising panic. M-maybe she didn't just enslave someone. Right. There hadn't been signs of the familiar markings being branded onto him, so maybe this was all just a big misunderstanding.

"U-um, Emiya?"

"Yes, Master?"

Louise shrank back. If the answer to her question was 'no', then she was still a failure. But if the answer was 'yes'...

"Are you really my familiar?"

Emiya frowned. "Did you intend to summon a familiar, Master?"

Louise gave a meek nod.

Emiya smiled. "Then yes, I am your familiar."

"...Why are you not mad?" Louise's voice was quiet. "How are you not bothered by this, Emiya? Is it the familiar bond? Does it really suppress the summoned being's desires so much that they're completely subservient?" At this point, Louise was talking more to herself than Emiya. "Did I really summon someone just to enslave them? But... the summoning ritual wouldn't allow that, right? Then again, with what all my other spells do..."

"Master."

Louise took a step back. "No! You should be mad! You should be angry!" Her emotions were in turmoil.

It wasn't right. This wasn't right. The Founder said to enslave another man was a sin punishable by death.

She slumped to the ground and clasped her arms around her knees, hugging her legs to her chest.

...Her mother would kill her when she found out. The rule of steel was unyielding, and Karin wouldn't hold back for even her own children. Louise's father might try to help her, but even he deferred to Louise's mother in situations like these.

"A slave. I made someone into a slave. By Brimir, I've made someone into a slave."

"Louise."

The sound of her name being called caused the blonde girl to look up.

Emiya had knelt down before her, like when they first formed to contract. "I believe we have a misunderstanding."

Louise let out a bitter laugh. "You're only saying that because of the bond. It's obvious. If you were in your right mind, you'd be angry. Anyone would be angry at being summoned as a familiar."

Emiya shook his head. "Like I said, you misunderstand-"

"STOP TRYING TO ASSURE ME!" Louise flinched away from the silver-haired man. "Just- don't. Please."

He nodded, though a slight frown was on his face.

Seeing that made Louise doubt herself for a moment. He had seemed genuinely upset for her sake- no. Of course not. How silly of her to think so. It was just an idle hope after all.

Louise the Zero would never have summoned someone who would support her like the man in front of her tried. He was a Noble, and the indignity of being summoned would have made a Noble angry enough to declare a blood feud, or even kill the summoner. The fact that he attempted neither was all too telling: she had made him that way from their contract.

She shivered. It wasn't from the cold, since the day was still long and the sun shining with warm rays of light. No, she shivered because everyone was right. She _was_ a zero. Every single spell she tried went horribly wrong, and 'Contract Familiar' along with 'Summon Servant' were no exceptions to that.

* * *

The Sword- no. He would have to begin referring himself to the name his Master preferred.

Emiya Shirou. It was not his name, but the one that belonged to this body before he came to be. And it was still His name, the one who still existed on a higher plane of existence.

Emiya Shirou. Truthfully, in the apparent western culture the Sword had found himself in, the name should be 'Shirou Emiya'. But Emiya Shirou... yes, that was an acceptable compromise. He was 'of Shirou', so that could truthfully be his family name. Emiya... that was a name he took up both for Him and for the Defender of Justice whose duties the Sword took up when those he protected had passed on.

Emiya. Yes, that was an acceptable compromise.

Emiya looked upon his Master and considered what to do.

She was upset. He could see that, despite lacking emotions himself. The cause appeared to be a misunderstanding. From what he could glean, it appeared that the source was a mistaken belief that she had forced him to be subservient against his will. And now she wouldn't believe him, no matter what reassurances he attempted, for they would be seen as the actions of a mind-washed individual.

For a moment, Emiya pondered her reaction. It was apparent that her self-esteem was non-existent, and he would guess that his Master had no encouragement throughout her life. Or if she had, it was far and few.

The Sword that he was, Emiya could feel no emotions. However, if he could, he believed 'rage' would be an appropriate term to how he would react. She was but a child, and in this crucial phase of their development such low self-esteem would not be healthy.

But that was a problem for the future. Now he had to convince his Master that he wasn't a mindless slave. It would be difficult, since reassurance would be a negative sign. In that case, she would just have to convince herself.

"...Louise."

At the sound of his voice, the small girl flinched and drew her legs closer to her chest as if trying to bury herself.

A tinge of something that he would have called 'anger' were he not a Sword. Emiya suppressed it and continued. "I will not try to convince you of my sincerity. Instead, I would ask you to listen to a story."

A small nod.

She was listening. Good.

"Once, there was a young girl. On a daily basis, she was ridiculed and taunted for not being able to do what was expected of her by the ones around her."

A flash of empathy. She could relate.

He continued. "She tried her best, and yet it was never enough. Despite all of the work she put in, she just couldn't meet those expectations. And because of that, they called her a failure. A failure, when all she wanted was praise."

Again, there was empathy from Louise. She seemed to be entranced by the story, enthralled by the fact that someone else might have gone through her life. "...What was her name?"

Emiya ignored the question.

"The day came for her to prove herself. A summoning ritual had been prepared for her to call forth a familiar, someone to stand by her side in conflict. They didn't expect for her to succeed, but the girl's heartfelt desires brought forth a success beyond all expectations. One of the greatest warriors of the land had been called to her side, an invincible hero."

At that, Louise scowled. "I told you to stop trying to make me feel better! You're my familiar so listen to me-"

"Her name was Illyasviel von Einzbern, the elder sister of the one that was once known as Emiya Shirou."

It was a story he had learned many years after His sacrifice. A tale of regret from the one who would have stood by her side had he known what was happening, but instead found himself at odds with her.

"You have a sister?" Louise's voice was soft, and he could hear the guilt in those words.

Emiya shook his head. "I have no right to call her that."

And he didn't. She was the sister to Emiya Shirou, the real one who had once inhabited this body and also the defender of justice from another time that she eventually married.

He sighed. "Even if I did, she has been dead for a long time."

The two were silent as they sat on the grassy plains. Louise was quiet, no doubt contemplating the tale he had just told her. As for himself, he was lost in reflections of the past. It was nostalgic, reliving those far off days before his life became an endless stream of conflict.

* * *

Louise stared at Emiya. His eyes had taken on a distant look, like he was reminiscing.

...Not a slave then. He was right, she _had_ been mistaken.

A sister, one with a Germanian name. Illyasviel von Einzbern.

Louise was fairly intelligent from having to compensate for her lack of magic with tests when it came to her grades. Because of that, she could piece together the story from what Emiya wasn't telling her.

It was clear, and fairly simple. He must have been an illegitimate child from their family line. Because of that, he was likely raised not knowing about his sister. And probably because the family sired an illegitimate child, all of the expectations had been placed upon her. She eventually succeeded, probably the same way that Louise had today. But by the time Emiya met her, it was too late.

Regret. That was the reason he was being so subservient. It would also explain the man's mannerisms and abilities. He didn't look much older than she was, so a 'long time' must have meant that his sister had died when he was young.

The summoning ritual was supposed to call forth a familiar with the greatest compatibility, wasn't it? In that case, after hearing Emiya's story, it made perfect sense: she was in the exact same position his sister had been in. But this time, he could do something about the situation.

"I understand, Emiya." Louise nodded, a small smile on her face. She felt a little guilty that she was taking the place of his sister, but she had always wanted a protective older brother.

Although, she still had the rest of the school, and her family when they found out about Emiya, to deal with.

The silver-haired man smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Then shall we go, Master-"

"Louise."

Emiya paused and gave her a searching look, then nodded. "Louise. Shall we go?" He held out a hand, one worn with signs of a hard life.

She smiled and grabbed it. "Let's go."

* * *

A/N: Alright, now I know I said I wouldn't right anymore for this until I finished 'A Different Path'. However, the fact that I've only really got 1000 or so words of the actual story in the first chapter bothered me. Like a sliver you couldn't quite get out, or a thorn in the side that's irksome but not painful. Unfortunately, it was draining my creative resources, and so this is my way of compromising against that irritating muse's siren call.

At least there's nothing else really spoiler-worthy here... I think. Maybe?

*sigh*

Well, as you can see from Louise's reaction here, things are going to be quite different as a result of summoning this Shirou and his initial actions upon being summoned. Nobles aren't supposed to summon other Nobles, you see, even if they might be disgraced due to the fact that it's practically slavery. That, along with the lack of visible runes, are going to result in quite a different reaction from the cast when things get rolling.

There. That's absolutely it from me for this story until I've at least written the ending this comes from and published it.

I will finish the story, dang it! I refuse to be side-tracked any more, no matter how interesting this is!

*ahem*

I hope you enjoyed this unexpected update (believe me, I did NOT plan this. Stupid ADD brain) and feel free to leave a review.

Thanks for reading, and understanding. And please don't ask me to update this soon. The temptation is strong enough as it is. *_*


	3. Sword of Origin: Thoughts

A/N1: I give up.

* * *

**_Sword of Origin: Thoughts_**

* * *

They arrived back at the castle at sunset. It had been a longer walk than expected for Louise, but she didn't mind. Just the fact that there was someone, anyone, who was there to support her made her happy enough for the time to be meaningless. In her life, the only person who had supported her was her older sister Cattleya, but it had been over a year since she had last seen her. A year with nothing but ridicule.

But now there was someone else who would support her as well. Emiya Shirou... she still didn't know much about the person she had summoned, but Louise was glad of the fact that the silver-haired man had chosen to stand by her side. He was quiet, but carried a sort of calm reassurance that was comforting to Louise.

And it was with that thought in her mind that the pair arrived at the door to Louise's dorm and she realized she didn't have any accommodations for Emiya.

"What's wrong, Louise?" Emiya tilted his head to the side, looking at her with those silver eyes.

Louise shifted her gaze, unable to meet Emiya's eyes. "U-um, don't be offended by this, Emiya, b-but I didn't realize I'd be summoning you. I mean, I thought I would summon an animal for a familiar, not another Noble, s-so-"

A slight smile on the man's face. "It will be fine, Louise. So long as you are comfortable and I may protect you, nothing else matters."

The sincerity in his words was almost painful for her, but she nodded and opened the door.

Since Tristain was a magical academy for Nobles, the living conditions for its students was nothing less than luxurious. This was true even for Louise, who admittedly had not succeeded as much as her peers.

The room was furnished with a king-sized bed with draperies, a towering oak wardrobe, and other elegant wooden fixtures. The walls were stone, as it was still part of the castle, but the floor was paneled with the same wood that made up the furniture.

A large window draped with purple curtains stood directly opposite from the door, and the bed and wardrobe were to its left and right, respectively, with the other furniture scattered throughout the room.

Even so, there was plenty of space to wander around, enough that there was no need to worry about running into anything, even in the dark.

And then, in stark contrast to the comfortable decor of her dorm, there was a pile of hay next to the bed.

Louise flushed when they entered, and the red on her face only grew when Emiya's eyes ran over the room and paused on the pile of hay. It was disgraceful for a Valliere to only have that to offer as a bed for another Noble. She'd have to rectify that as soon as possible.

"I-I know it's not much, Emiya, but-"

"It's fine, Louise." Again, he smiled at her, the same slight expression that didn't reach his eyes. "I have slept in worse conditions before, and a pile of hay is a luxury compared to those times."

"But Emiya-"

He shook his head. "As I said, Louise. So long as you are comfortable and I may protect you, nothing else matters." He frowned. "More importantly, have you eaten yet, Louise?"

A low rumbling from her stomach answered that question, as well as Louise's flush afterwards.

* * *

After a quick message to some of the castle staff, dinner had been brought to Louise's room. It was simple food, just bread and stew since the main meal was finished long before they had arrived, but it was filling and fairly delicious.

The Master and Familiar were seated on opposite sides of a round table in a corner of Louise's room. Emiya had finished his portion of the meal before Louise, and used the rest of the time to ponder his situation after setting down the empty porcelain bowl.

From their journey back, it was clear to him that he was no longer on Earth. While the terrain might be similar in some respects, as well as the language and culture, the density of mana in the air, and the few nature spirits he had seen corresponded to none that he knew existed on Earth. At least not in the modern day.

It was possible that he had travelled backwards in time, but it was far more likely he had arrived on another world or been sent to a parallel dimension.

From what he had gathered, it seemed that magic users in this world were equated with Nobility. The system of Thaumaturgy they used was one he was not familiar with, however. The flight implied witchcraft, but the fact that wands were used in tandem with incantations to perform spells meant it was something else entirely. Instead of the exception, like the mystic codes he was used to, it seemed that they were the norm here.

It was interesting, to say the least, but he doubted that there was a single mage here that could kill him. Other than his Master, of course, but the point was moot as she was the person he was to protect.

With that thought, Emiya observed his young Master. Louise was small for her age, but he doubted that it would stay that way as time passed. From her appetite, it seemed that she was physically healthy. But her mental health...

The young girl had been all but tripping over her feet to gain his approval after the misunderstanding was cleared up. He would have called it 'cute' if not for the implications it held. For one, it was not for worship that Louise acted so. The Sword... Emiya had become accustomed to such behavior after defeating a few Nobles in duels at the Clock Tower and impressing various families in the process. It was not fear either, behavior he knew after slaying half of the Dead Apostle Ancestors. No, the way she acted was like one who clung to attention of any sort and feared losing it, similar to victims of abuse or abandoned orphans who had found one they could trust at last.

It was _wrong_. Even with Steel as his core, Emiya could tell that such behavior was not ordinary, and should he ever find the source of it, only by mercy of His hand or his Master's would Emiya hold his blade.

He closed his eyes and released the thought. He was not acting alone here. Unlike those he had once protected, Louise was not yet on the level where she could hold her own. He had to take that into account.

He had been summoned as a familiar. Despite the fact that he was a 'Noble' in the eyes of the populace due to his magic, his actions would still reflect upon Louise. Unfortunately, that meant he could not slay those that annoyed him as he did in his world unless it was in defense of Louise.

...Perhaps he should look into the laws of Nobility. If they were anything like those of the Clock Tower, there should be a clause about duels of honor.

A soft sigh.

Emiya opened his eyes to see Louise slumped slightly on her seat. She had finished her meal and set her silverware and bowl against the table.

"Are you tired, Louise?"

She shook her head. "It's not that, Emiya. It's just..." She sighed again. "I don't know what to do."

He tilted his head. "Don't know what to do?"

She nodded and looked up at Emiya. "Having a Noble as a familiar here is unheard of." She sighed. "...I don't know if its common or not where you're from since your sister summoned a warrior for a familiar, but there's never been such a thing here in Tristain."

Louise sighed again and slumped even more. "It's likely that the others will think I just paid you to fake the summoning. I mean, you don't even have the familiar runes!"

Emiya frowned. "Am I supposed to have them?"

Louise nodded. "They should have been burned on the moment I finished the contract."

"Ah. If that's the case..."

Emiya dissolved his armor to reveal his bare chest.

Louise turned a beet red and covered her eyes with her hands. "W-w-w-what are you doing, Emiya?! This... even if you... but I-"

"I was unsure of the cause at the time," Emiya said. "But after establishing the contract I felt a burning sensation upon my chest. Are the runes there, Louise?"

She opened her hands a crack. Sure enough, the runes were there, though they were unlike any she had seen before. "O-oh. Yes, yes they are."

He nodded and replaced his armor, causing Louise to let out a relieved sigh.

It would appear that his Master suffered from bouts of irrationality. He was a blade, so the sight of his body should not have caused such a reaction. Then again, she was also a teenage girl.

Emiya made a mental note of that. He would need to reframe his actions in society once more.

How troublesome.

"A-anyway," Louise said. "Even if you have them, we can't go around parading you with your shirt off." She sighed. "That would probably make things worse than they already are."

"It will be fine, Louise." He gave her a reassuring smile. "No matter what occurs, I will protect you. There is nothing that can harm you so long as I am here."

Again, Louise flushed red, though she kept her eyes on him this time. "A-alright."

It was quiet for a few moments. Emiya had said his thoughts on the matter, so he deemed the conversation over. He would protect her, and events would resolve themselves in time. It was simple. But his Master appeared troubled still. Why was that?

...Ah. He had forgotten. People tended to become uncomfortable in prolonged silence, especially in the presence of another. The fact that he was keeping a steady gaze on his Master would only exacerbate that feeling.

He really should recall social etiquette. It seemed like he would be in prolonged contact with Nobility in the foreseeable future, so that would come in handy. Not only that, but while he would be able to protect his Master from threats of all sorts, he doubted she would approve of him going outside of the socially constructed laws she was accustomed to. Rin hadn't, after all, especially that one time when he killed an entire line of Magi without going through the proper channels.

Louise took a deep breath and then stood up, taking the empty bowls. "Alright. I'm going to take these back down to the help. I'll be right back, Emiya."

He got to his feet as well. "No, Louise. Let me take care of that." He reached over and tried to take the bowls from her, but Louise stepped back and shook her head.

"I'm the host here! Please, allow me, Emiya. It's the least I can do after-"

This time, Emiya shook his head. "No, allow me. As the guest, and as your familiar, it is my duty to aid you. And I enjoy chores." He reached for the bowls again, but Louise swerved around him.

"No!" She seemed flustered, and was red-faced again. "I'll take care of it, so you just sit there and relax!"

Before he could protest again, Louise ran to the door and wrenched it open, only to run into a maid with short black hair and blue eyes.

"Eep!"

"Ah!"

In a moment that would not have looked out of place in one of those anime that Ilya and the children enjoyed watching, the two girls landed on top of each other in a heap of tangled limbs.

The bowls that his Master had been carrying, fragile porcelain creations as they were, shattered against the ground, launched in the air the moment Louise had started falling.

Emiya sighed.

* * *

After helping the maid, who introduced herself as Siesta to Louise and Emiya, pick up the broken porcelain, Louise had asked Emiya to go with the maid to take care of Louise's dirty laundry. She was a bit worried that it would be overstepping her bounds, but Emiya had just smiled at her and went to work.

And then Louise was alone in her room. She hadn't really needed Emiya to take out her clothes, but she needed time to think, and she couldn't do that with the man in the room.

She pulled her legs close to her chest. After Emiya left, she had changed into her nightgown, a white camisole, and climbed into her bed. It was here that she was pondering about her familiar... or was it Servant?

It was all just beginning to be a bit too much for her. Louise's plans to uphold her image as a Noble had failed miserably when she crashed into that maid and embarrassed herself.

She sighed. Louise just didn't know how to act around him. For one, he was a Mage, if not a Noble. That alone gave the dynamics between their relationship and awkward start.

And he was also her familiar, a being that was meant to be the other half of a Mage, the one that was the symbol of their power. The summoning ritual was supposed to summon something that represented the elemental alignment of the summoner, as well as their compatibility.

Louise didn't know what it meant for her to have summoned a Mage, especially one that could use high level earth and wind magic, but she knew they were compatible at least: he was someone who wanted to protect her.

That last fact made her happy. To have someone, especially a person as powerful and skilled as Emiya, at her side was a miracle that was beyond her wildest dreams. She wasn't alone anymore. Sure, she might still get teased or ridiculed, but at least she knew Emiya would be there.

Right?

She sighed again.

Despite his words to her, Louise was still worried. Emiya was a great Mage. At least lower-Square class, judging from his display of swords. That, and his armor seemed to be a direct result of his magic. He could make them appear at will, without even so much as a wave of a wand.

That last thought gave Louise pause. That was right. Emiya hadn't used a wand or an incantation for his magic. It just... happened. Her mother could do the same with some simple spells, but that was because she had spent a lifetime using them, so much that they were second nature to her. Even then, she always seemed a bit drained afterwards.

Emiya hadn't been.

To create so many blades at once had to have been a Square-class spell. She was sure of it. But... he had done so with ease, and wandless.

_I have no right to call her that... even if I did, she has been dead for a long time._

Louise frowned as she recalled his words. Now that Emiya wasn't around, she could think things through a little clearer, and his strange mannerisms came to the fore. A golem. That was what he reminded her of. His voice was soft and mostly monotone, and he spoke in an objective manner.

It bothered her, now that she thought about it. Not only that, but he was mostly quiet, standing still without the slightest movements at times.

He was human. That much Louise was sure of. Though it was strange that he could use such high level magic with ease, Emiya didn't have the pointed ears of an elf. And though he might seem like a golem in his demeanor, he wasn't completely emotionless.

But in that case... what did he go through to end up like that? Just...

"Who are you, Emiya Shirou?"

* * *

Emiya walked through the stone halls of Tristain Academy carrying a basket of clothing. By his side was Siesta, the maid who Louise had run into. At first, she had been talkative and thankful for his help, but after he fixed the porcelain bowls with an application of Reinforcement, she had been silent.

He thought it was strange, but didn't think much on it. As long as he could get his Master's clothing cleaned and as long as he could be of help, nothing else really mattered.

After a long walk throughout the stone halls, during which Emiya catalogued the layout of the academy, Siesta came to a halt in front of a plain wooden door. "W-we're here, Sir Emiya."

He looked up. There was a sign on the door with runic symbols on it. It was an unfamiliar script, but to his eyes it didn't matter, and he saw that it read 'Servant Quarters'.

Siesta gave him a quick bow. "You can just leave the bowls and Miss Valliere's clothing here. We'll take care of the rest."

Emiya blinked. Did she really expect him to just leave her to do all the work? "I'm afraid we have a misunderstanding, Siesta."

She flinched. It was slight, and barely visible, but Emiya had caught it.

"W-we have?" she asked.

Fear. For some reason, she was afraid of him.

He noted it. Perhaps there were more similarities between the Nobles he was used to and the Nobles here than he would have liked.

Emiya gave her a slight smile to calm her nerves. "I followed you because I assumed you were leading me to a place I could clean these, not so I can leave them for someone else to take care of."

Siesta tilted her head, eyes blank. "...Um, pardon me, I think I misheard. Did you say you wanted to do the chores yourself?"

He nodded. "Yes. So if you could show me to the necessary supplies, I would appreciate it."

The maid's mouth dropped, agape like someone who was looking at an impossibility.

Emiya frowned. Was it really that out of place for him to want to do chores? Sure, it seemed that the social structure of the world was Feudal, but even then there were males who performed chores, weren't there? Unless he had fallen into a completely parallel world.

Though if his presence here was because of that prankster Zelretch, it wasn't unlikely.

..Ah. But in that case, Rin would have already brought him back. And Zelretch already knew better after she won their last prank war.

Siesta shook her head slightly and then smiled. "I'm sorry for misunderstanding, Sir Emiya. In that case, we should head to the laundry room. Um, you can leave the bowls there though. I'll take care of it while you wash the clothes."

"As you say."

After putting the bowls away, Siesta led him to another room, this one with barrels of soapy water and washing boards. There were already a few other maids hard at work when they entered, all of whom turned to look at him with wide eyes.

He ignored them and set to work. It wouldn't be the first time he was the center of attention, so something like that didn't bother him.

Placing the basket down near the closest tub of water, he picked up the first article of his Master's clothing and started washing it, losing himself in the familiar process.

* * *

"...So you were summoned today, Sir Emiya?"

After washing the clothing, Siesta had directed him to a place where he could set it out to dry. While he could have dried them in an instant with some Alteration, namely removing the property of 'wet' from the clothes, the maid insisted on letting her do at least one part of the laundry reasoning that it was what she was paid to do.

Now he was returning to her room with a fresh batch of clothing, the latest set laundered by the maids. Siesta had taken it upon herself to guide him back after he picked up the refilled basket of clothing. Though he didn't need the directions, Emiya had decided to humor her, since he had troubled her so much.

"Yes, I was."

Siesta tilted her head in thought. "And you're a Noble?"

There was that emphasis on Nobility again. It seemed to be a recurring trend around here, but he still wasn't sure exactly what it meant. "Why don't you tell me what you think a Noble is first, Siesta."

She blinked, surprised at my question, but then nodded. "A Noble is someone who can use magic, the gift granted by Founder Brimir to the faithful, and given the authority to rule over those without his blessings."

A recitation. The way Siesta had said the words were more like a mantra, or doctrine, than her actual feelings. It seemed that the Nobility here had just as much power as the Lords in the Clock Tower, though their reach seemed to be much further, judging from Siesta's reactions.

"...I see. But you haven't answered my question, Siesta. What do you think a Noble is?"

She didn't answer, and that in of itself was telling.

It was late now, and the sun had long set, replaced by a pair of crimson and azure moons. A surprising sight, but nothing too important.

In any case, it was night now, and late at that. The students had long gone to bed, and so he and Siesta were the only ones ascending the stone steps of the dormitory towers.

And then they had arrived at Louise's room.

He stopped outside the door and turned to thank Siesta, but she preempted him.

The maid gave him a deep bow and then smiled. "Thank you for the help, Sir Emiya. Have a good night."

And before he could say another word, she turned and walked down the stairs. A young woman who had the misfortune to not have been born into the upper class, to be categorized as 'lesser' only due to a circumstance of fate.

He called out. "I am not a Noble."

Siesta stopped and turned around. Emiya was higher up than she was, as the maid had already descended a few steps.

She tilted her head. "Sir Emiya?"

That image only reinforced the already troubling picture he had of this world's Nobles in his mind.

He smiled at Siesta. "I am one who protects those who need to be protected. That is all."

Though his duty was to Louise first it, this maid would be vulnerable as well. And he would not allow a kind young woman like her to suffer when he could have prevented it. "Thank you for your help today."

"A-ah." A small blush was on the maid's face and she bowed again. "Y-you're welcome. Good night."

He nodded. "Good night."

With that, Siesta departed, and Emiya was left alone outside that door.

He opened it, picking up the basket of clothing, and quietly stepped inside.

His Master was asleep. She had cuddled up on her bed like a kitten would, wrapping her blankets around her. Her breath was slow and steady, so it appeared that she had gone to bed a while ago, and was now in the deeper stages of slumber.

Emiya walked over to the wardrobe and put the clothes away in their respective places, then walked over to the pile of hay.

While he had told Louise he slept in worse conditions before, the truth was that a Sword like him needed no sleep. At best, it was a means to restore his prana reserves, but those were still full and far from being empty. It would take something like an all-out war before he even came close to reaching half capacity, as he knew from experience. No, as it was now sleep would only be a waste of time.

He focused on the hay. It was taking up space, and cluttering the otherwise neat room. There was still a long time before the sun rose again, so he might as well do something productive.

It had been a while since he made stuffed animals for children out of grass and hay, but he had all night to practice. With that in mind, he sat down and began picking up clumps of hay, reshaping them with Reinforcement and Alteration.

* * *

Louise was dreaming. It was a strange thought to have, but she knew without a doubt that she was dreaming in the same manner that she knew when she was awake.

She was dreaming, and she was aware. Despite that, she wasn't aware of everything.

A flash of light, the purest that could ever exist. A man with silver hair and eyes. Feelings of loss, regret, and sorrow.

It was a barrage of images, feelings, sounds, and events that Louise couldn't comprehend. But despite that, one part of the dream was clear to her.

A single line that sounded like a part of an elegy, spoken by a warm masculine voice.

_His blood is of iron and his heart of glass._

And then she opened her eyes.

It was morning. Dawn, to be exact. She could see the sun just peeking out from the horizon and the sky just starting to brighten from the window by her bed.

Louise sat up and rubbed her eyes. As she remembered what she had seen, she said, "What a strange dream."

"Ah. Good morning, Louise."

The strange male voice caused her to almost jump out of her bed before her mind caught up with her and she remembered who it belonged to.

Emiya Shirou. The Noble who was no longer a Noble that she had summoned and said he would protect her. The expert Mage who could create a thousand swords in mid-air, and who... was standing there with over a dozen plushed animals?

Louise rubbed her eyes again, but they were still there. "...Emiya. What are those?"

He gave her a small smile. "Ah. The hay was taking up space and cluttering your room. I decided that I could put it to better use and made these." He gestured towards the array of animals in front of him.

A tiger, a wolf, a bear. Even a stuffed dragon among all things! Not only that, but each was made with expert craftsmanship, as if they had been created by a Master Artificer.

Louise blinked. "You made them?"

She did accept that Emiya was a skilled mage. And those that had fallen from grace were said to pick up talents to help them survive, but making stuffed animals...?

"I did indeed, Louise. Do you like them?" He frowned. "I wasn't sure what animal you were partial to, so I decided to make a few. At first, I had planned to use it all to create one large plushed animal, but then realized that you might not like it, so I made these instead."

Emiya got to his feet, the stuffed animals cradled against his chest.

It was surreal.

"...I'm going to get dressed."

Louise got out of her bed and walked towards her wardrobe.

Maybe if she ignored him things would make sense again.

...Though the animals were cute. Maybe things would work out after all.

* * *

Seeing that his Master was getting dressed and that she was in a pleasant mood, Emiya took the time to place the animals around the room. He made sure to keep his back to his Master though, out of respect for her modesty. That lesson had been beaten into him often enough by Rin for him to forget, even if he had been alone for a century.

The act of cleaning up and placing the animals brought up memories of lighter times for him, back to when the children had been growing up and he had watched them.

"I'm done, Emiya."

He placed the last animal, a stuffed tiger, by Louise's pillow and then turned around.

She was dressed the same way she had when he was summoned: a black skirt, white dress-shirt, and a cloak around her shoulders that was clasped by a brass emblem with a pentagram.

Emiya nodded. "So how shall we do this, Louise? No matter what others may believe, I am your familiar. Do you want me to stay by your side?"

Truthfully, that was his preferred course of action. While he doubted that his Master was in significant danger here, the jeers and taunts that could arise were something he would not allow her to go through alone. Still, she was his Master, and he would abide by her decision.

Louise sighed. "You might as well." She grabbed her wand and headed towards the door. "I hope it isn't as bad as I think it is..."

Her last words were murmured, and Emiya doubted that she meant for him to hear them. But hear them he did.

Patience. A sword could stand for eternity under the rule of steel, and he should do the same. Wait and see. At least for the moment.

It was not yet time to be drawn.

* * *

This is the Tiger Dojo. Take the advice?

Note. Tiger Dojo is a strange hint corner. If you would like to finish the story by yourself, or if you would like to keep the characters' images, please be warned.

1. Yes

2. No

* * *

**Tiger Dojo**

Taiga winced, rubbing the back of her head. Like the last time, she was dressed in a white kimono and black hakama. "Owowow."

"Are you alright, Sensei?" Ilya was standing by her side, again in a white t-shirt and purple bloomers.

Taiga waved off her student's concerns. "I'm fine, student. Thank you for the concern." She sighed and glared at the screen. "It's all the Wizard's fault."

"Ah." Ilya nodded. "Yes. He really shouldn't blame us for this, should he? I mean, he did promise last time to not write anymore."

Taiga let out a long sigh. "That he did. And now he wants us to do this again? After slamming the door on my-"

A note card appeared before her.

'You're lucky I'm keeping you two here instead of killing you off. Get to work.'

"Hai, hai." Taiga sighed again. "Whatever the Wizard wants... stupid hypocrite. Anyway."

She clapped her hands together and stared straight ahead, a grin on her face. "Welcome back to the Tiger Dojo, Reader-san."

"Yay!" Ilya pumped her fist in the air.

"So, Reader-san. You should scold the Wizard for doing this." Taiga gave a sagely nod. "He should really be working on Shirou's story, rather than the Sword's."

"Sensei," Ilya said. "You shouldn't be so hard on him. Being a writer is tough. Even when he can stop and say a Wizard did it."

"Yeah, yeah. But we should probably talk about the story here before the Wizard gets mad again." Taiga shivered. "Last time was scary."

"Hai!"

"Yosh." Taiga clapped her hands together. "So the Sword. Or is it 'Emiya Shirou'?"

"Un." Ilya nodded. "He's pretty shameless isn't he? Even Onii-chan wasn't that bad when his Harem Aura was going."

"Indeed, student." Taiga nodded. "Not even a whole day and he's already racked up points for the maid and the tsundere route." She paused. "Though Louise-san seems a lot softer than she's supposed to be."

"Well," Ilya said. "Emiya is being really nice to her. That, and since he's still as clueless and honest as Onii-chan was means that it's hard to hate him, isn't it? And he made plushies!"

Taiga nodded. "And they're cute too. Geez. I never thought someone as scary as him could be so calm."

"Well, he WAS involved in a lot of humanitarian stuff later. Between all the fighting. Right, Sensei?"

Taiga was quiet, staring off into the distance.

"Sensei?"

"Well, Reader-san. It seems like our time is up."

"Eh?!"

Taiga let out a long sigh. "We have to stick to the script, Ilya-chan. We can't say much else, remember?"

"Oh." Ilya nodded. "Right. There's still a long time left before we can reveal the Sword's past completely."

"Yep."

Taiga turned around and started walking away. "So farewell, Reader-san. Remember to scold the Wizard, alright?"

Ilya waved. "Bye!"

And then she hurried after Taiga.

With that, the doors of the dojo closed, and everything faded to black.

**End Tiger Dojo**

* * *

A/N2: Right. So it seems that I now have a mental block that prevents me from writing more than 4500 words on 'A Different Path' without making progress on this story. Due to this, I will be updating this story after every chapter of 'A Different Path'. In lieu of the former work being incomplete, the Sword's past and explanations for his abilities, as well as certain events will remain shrouded in mystery until a further date.

You are free to speculate and imagine how events reached that point, though I will neither confirm, nor deny anything.

On the plus side, all this writing is good experience. I should be able to get updates out faster now that I'm in this rhythm.

On a side-note, it appears that declaring to 'absolutely not do something' tempts your mind and fate to force you to do that thing.

Yeah.

Well, if you're still reading this story, I'll just have to apologize for any spoilers that may slip out. They shouldn't be *too* plot damaging, though you'll have to judge for yourself whether it's worth the risk of continuing to read this story.

Yeah.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter at least, and remember to leave a review. The input only helps this story get better, and I do take the time to read each one, though I might not get the chance to reply to each.

Until the next.


	4. Sword of Origin: To Protect

**_Sword of Origin: To Protect_**

* * *

Emiya followed Louise outside of her room, taking up a position behind her and to her left. But they had scarcely taken three steps towards the stairs when Emiya heard a door open behind them and a voice call out. "Oh? You're up early today, Louise."

Tense. The moment those words were said, Louise had stiffened like a drawn bow. "Kirche."

Emiya narrowed his eyes and looked towards the source.

A young woman with a voluptuous body. Her hair was red, though it tended more towards a light red-orange than blood-red. She was leaning against her door, arms crossed beneath her chest, and looked at Louise with a mischievous grin. "I would have thought you would be up all night with someone as attractive as that sharing your room."

Louise flushed a deep red. "I-it's- We're not like that!"

Kirche scoffed. "Please. Everyone knows that he's not your familiar. There's no way that a Noble can be summoned."

The young woman was agitating Louise. Though her words were without malice, the callous manner in which she spoke was damaging in itself.

"Louise." He placed a reassuring hand on his Master's shoulder. "Let's go."

She glanced at him and nodded, turning back towards the stairs. "You're right, Emiya." A smile crossed her face. "Zerbst isn't important anyway."

"Oh? Is that so, Valliere?" Kirche shook her head at Louise and then shifted her gaze to Emiya.

He recognized that expression. It was one he had seen all too many times on those females that thought they could use their body to bend him to their whims.

"At least I can show him a good time."

She stepped towards him, arms crossed beneath her chest. "What was your name again?"

Emiya glanced at Louise. She was tense again, hands clenched into fists. She wasn't looking back at this 'Kirche', but he could tell that it was only through her pride and force of will.

He gave Louise a reassuring squeeze on her shoulder and started walking. Without looking back, he said, "I am someone who has no desire to associate with a woman like you, Kirche. Come on, Louise."

"...Okay." A soft reply, one that only he could hear.

With that, Louise continued down the stairs, with Emiya following shortly behind her.

But it seemed that the red-haired woman wasn't finished with them yet. "He's awfully loyal, isn't he Valliere?"

Perhaps it was jealousy that caused the next words. Perhaps it was malice. But what Emiya knew was that they hurt Louise.

"It makes me wonder what you did to have such a powerful Noble working for you, Valliere."

Emiya stopped and turned around. Louise had stopped as well and was visibly shaking.

Kirche's eyes gleamed when she saw that she had his attention. "It doesn't matter though. Noble, whatever Valliere did to get you to work for her, I assure you I can do..._better._"

The last words was said in a sultry manner, and she squeezed her arms around her chest for emphasis.

Enough.

Even if it was simple rivalry. Even if it might just be teasing or Kirche's natural personality, that callous manner in which she implied the reason he served Louise was illicit had crossed the line.

He did not glare. Such a simple gesture would not have been enough to express his dissatisfaction at the young woman's actions. No, Emiya _looked_ at Kirche, as if peering into her very soul. Which he did.

The information he gained from that was irrelevant, and he wished to know nothing more of this 'Kirche' who would degrade his Master so. Instead, he used that piercing gaze and colored it with killing intent, directed solely on the naive and callous girl in front of him who would say such things.

Kirche was wide-eyed, almost petrified at his gaze.

Good.

"I will say this once... Zerbst. Do not speak of that which you have no knowledge."

He turned slightly, so that he was only looking at her from the corner of his eyes. "Louise is a person who needs my support, and one who I choose to protect upon my summoning. There was no coercion, and there was no illicit affairs."

He narrowed his eyes, causing Kirche to flinch. "Am I clear?"

"Emiya." Louise spoke in a confident voice. It seemed that she had regained a bit of her composure from seeing the red-headed woman's reaction. "That's enough."

He glanced towards Louise for a moment, and then nodded.

"As you say."

He released his gaze and focused intent. The moment he did, Kirche collapsed against the wall, legs giving out underneath her. Emiya noticed a large reptile slink out of the room and nudge against her, likely Kirche's familiar, in a way of comfort.

From the wide-eyed expression on her face, it seemed like she needed it.

He saw his Master give the young woman an unreadable expression, and then began heading down the stairs.

He followed, though he mentally reassessed the situation.

Perhaps he would be drawn after all.

* * *

Louise's heart was pounding.

Emiya had just defended her. The one she summoned had just defended her.

The pair were walking down the stone halls, with Emiya again standing behind her in that protective position. Unlike earlier, his very demeanor was harsh, and his expression severe, with narrowed eyes constantly scanning their surroundings.

It reminded Louise of her mother when she was teaching the 'Rule of Steel'.

He was scary. Louise couldn't help but admit that. And yet... she was happy.

For once, Zerbst shut up. A miracle, almost! And all it took was one look from Emiya, and she had been reduced to a shivering mess.

_Turnabout is fair play, Zerbst._

It was satisfying, to say the least. Especially when the other people that had teased and ridiculed her throughout the last year blanched upon meeting his gaze.

_He's really protecting me._

That thought kept echoing through her mind. Forget the fact that she summoned a Noble. Forget the fact that her classmates had tormented her. Here was someone who trusted her, who would protect her.

Not only that, but he had said it himself. He _chose_ to protect her. A powerful Mage like him, castoff Noble or not, could have easily left her behind. And for a moment when Kirche was acting up, Louise had worried that Emiya really would. It wouldn't be the first time Kirche ruined something for Louise.

But he had rejected her. Completely.

And so Louise couldn't help the wide smile on her face as she stepped into the Alvis Dining Hall.

The fact that every student turned towards them when they entered was taken in stride. They didn't matter. Emiya was a sign of her success, a measure of her worth. If someone like him believed in her, she had to have done something right.

So she sat down at the center table of the three in the hall with abandon, with Emiya taking a seat next to her. If anyone complained, well, they could deal with him first.

* * *

While Louise went about her routine of eating breakfast with her peers, the Sword swept his gaze throughout the room, judging them. As expected, a majority of the students were whispering about Louise and himself. Their reactions, however, ranged from disbelief to fear to anger to even... disgust? The first three he could understand, while the last was unexpected.

He took a bite out of the roasted chicken in front of him out of habit, as well as some of the other food.

He found it a bit strange, however, that he and Louise were the center of attention. With all of the other familiars that had been summoned, he would have expected at least a few students to be focused on those instead, especially as they were the new partners towards the summoners. But instead their eyes were on Louise.

"...Louise," he said. "Is there a particular reason why your peers are so focused on us?"

The varied emotions were too strange.

"Ah." Louise continued eating. "They're probably just curious about a human being summoned, let alone a Mage. It hasn't happened before in recorded history, if I remember right."

"Is that so?"

It still didn't explain the last reaction.

...Or perhaps it did. But if it was that case...

Emiya paused. What was the best way to resolve this scenario? Intimidation would worsen the outcome. Protests would enhance the outcome they had in mind. And he couldn't just kill them off unless he wanted Louise to stay on the run. Even though the world was different, he was reasonably sure that the familiar's actions would reflect on the summoner or Master.

So he would have to wait then. There was not yet an opportunity for him to act. At most, he would seem defensive. At best, he would affirm the thoughts in their minds.

He finished eating and surveyed the students again, keeping an eye out for memorable faces. Most blanched at his gaze and quickly turned their eyes aside, but a few reacted contrary to his expectations.

There was a blonde boy, wearing an open shirt that revealed his toned body. While the boy flinched on seeing Emiya's gaze, his eyes flicked towards Louise for a moment, and then towards the other students. When they settled on the other students, Emiya caught a glimpse of anger in his expression, directed towards his peers.

Interesting.

There was that red-haired woman again. She had a group of boys around her, all vying for her attention. Yet she seemed dazed, if slightly introspective. When she met his gaze, she too flinched, but he caught a glimpse of regret.

It seemed that his lesson had been taken to heart.

Though the boys surrounding her looked at him with nothing but malice when he met their eyes.

And then there was a young girl with blue-green hair and glasses. It was her that stuck out the most among all the students in the dining hall. Unlike the other teenagers, her gaze was steady and focused firmly on Emiya and not Louise. Those eyes of hers were scrutinizing, and far from fearful. No, that was incorrect. There was fear there, but it was refined. Caution, rather than complete terror.

When he met her eyes, she turned her head, though he noted that her hands never strayed from the staff by her side.

A fighter then, one who was used to assessing the combat potential of others.

He would keep an eye on that one.

"...do you think, Emiya?"

He blinked and turned towards Louise. "I apologize, Louise, but what were you saying?"

"I asked what you thought of the dining hall, Emiya," Louise said. "As a former Noble, I'm sure you've seen more than a few regal places in your life. I was just wondering how this place compared."

"Ah." He smiled, relaxing a bit. "This hall is quite elegant. Very fitting for Nobles with the fine decor and food."

The fact that he thought little of the type of Nobles who would live like this was left unsaid as he passed the rest of the time talking with Louise.

* * *

When breakfast was finished, classes began.

Emiya followed Louise throughout the castle to an area with classrooms that seemed like the lecture halls used in universities, albeit made of stone rather than wood.

Louise had taken the time to explain the history of the castle, as well as its format and other trivia, to Emiya along the way there. With the air of an enthusiastic young girl, she had taken to the act with an obsessive fervor, pulling him here and there as a girl would for their older brother.

"...And here is where my first class is."

The sound of laughter echoing from the room brought her to a halt.

It wasn't a joyous sound, but malevolent. Mocking.

Emiya narrowed his eyes. The source was from a small number of students, so it appeared that not all were involved.

Regardless, Louise's enthusiasm had faltered, and she hesitated before opening the door.

Emiya did it for her.

Again, he swept his gaze across the students present.

Unlike during breakfast, the only thing that his action did was quell the din, and it didn't stop the harsh and mocking looks a few cast on Louise as she entered.

She shrank underneath the attention, standing behind Emiya as they walked throughout the room.

He was tempted to let loose his killing intent again, like he did for Kirche, but reigned the impulse in. That would only worsen Louise's situation. And besides, not all of the students were involved or seemed against her.

Instead, he was silent and guided Louise to a seat near the back. Again, he sat next to her, and then glared at the mocking faces, as if daring them to act.

Tense. That was the only way to describe the atmosphere in the room.

But before anything could happen, a woman walked in.

Round-faced, middle-aged, and dressed in purple robes with matching hair. It seemed that she was the teacher of this lesson.

"Good morning class. I am Chevreuse the Red Clay." She swept her gaze throughout the room, smiling at each of the familiars. "It looks like this year's Springtime Familiar Summoning was a success. It's always a pleasure to see the new familiars summoned each spring." Her gaze stopped on Emiya.

"...Hold on." She tilted her head. "Are you a new student?"

That statement shattered any restraint the other students might have had.

"Student?" someone said. "That's the 'Familiar' of Louise the Zero!"

Someone else scoffed. "Familiar? She probably paid him to fake it. The man's obviously a Mage!"

Louise shot to her feet. "I did not! He's the one I summoned!"

Her protest was ignored and yet another person chimed in. "Yeah! There's no way the Zero summoned him!"

"I-!"

"Maybe she... you know? After all, 'Zero' has nothing else to offer..."

That remark sent Louise back to her seat, and she slumped, hands pressed against her ears as if trying to close off the world.

The jeers only continued, steadily increasing in hostility and accusations too crude to repeat.

Again, the Sword noted that it was not the whole class, but the voices of the few who disagreed were overwhelmed by those that did.

Chevreuse raised her wand, face red with anger at the way her students were acting. "Class! You will NOT-"

He had enough of this.

Louise was hurting. Her reputation was being slandered. And even then, they didn't even bother to ask her for the truth.

He rose to his feet and slammed a sword into floor. It was a simple steel broadsword, but by borrowing the bloodthirsty curse of the Tora-Shinai, and repatterning it into this sword with a blade as wide as a person's head, the intimidation factor was high.

While its value as a sword was little more than a D-ranked Noble Phantasm at best, it was more than enough to suit his purpose at the moment.

The class was silent once more, and more than a few had their mouths agape at the sight of the blade.

In that time, Chevreuse waved her wand and forced them into their seats, as well as fill their mouths with red clay. With that done, she cast a nervous gaze on Emiya, especially the sword in front of him.

"T-there's no need for that now, Sir. I have the situation under control."

He felt a pulse of magic hit the blade and narrowed his eyes.

Chevreuse squeaked, but held her ground. "I-if you would be so kind as to send away your sword..."

He didn't move. "Master? What do you say?"

Emiya used the formal title to affirm their relationship. He had to let these people know that he wasn't there for idle purposes.

"...It's fine. You can do as she says."

He nodded and dissolved the blade, sitting back in his seat.

The lecture continued without trouble, although it was subdued.

* * *

It was lunchtime. Again, Emiya found himself sitting next to Louise in the Alviss Dining Hall. But this time, he noted that the atmosphere was guarded. It was to be expected from his actions prior, but something about the way they acted bothered him.

He released the thought.

The most important matter was Louise. Since the time they left the classroom, she had been quiet. The event seemed to have bothered her more than she let on. Even now, she was only picking at the food in front of her rather than enjoying it like she had this morning.

A complete shift in mood, all because of one class.

Yet... he could not do anything. He was a Sword first and foremost, and matters such as these were beyond him. The most he knew was to support and protect, and all he could do for now was stay by her side.

"...You know that I will protect you, Louise?"

She didn't reply, but gave him a small nod.

A flash of 'anger' again. Enemies were all around, but they were not those he could cut.

It... irked him.

"Sir Emiya?"

He was drawn out of his thoughts by the arrival of the maid yesterday. Siesta, that was her name.

"Yes, Siesta?"

Did she need his aid already? That would be... troublesome. At the moment, Louise required his presence. He could not afford to leave her be.

Siesta took a look at Louise and frowned. "Did something happen to Miss Valliere?"

Louise ignored her and continued picking at her food.

Again, that flash of 'anger'.

"...You could say that. Nobles."

And that one word explained it all. Siesta took a look between Louise and the other students and nodded. "Ah."

"...In any case. Was that all you wanted, Siesta?"

"Oh." She shook her head. "No. I'm here to deliver a message to you from the Headmaster."

Emiya tilted his head. Perhaps his actions had more ramifications than he had thought at the time.

"Yes?"

"He wishes for you to meet him. Ah, and I'm supposed to lead you to his office."

He cast a look towards Louise and then said, "I will have to decline. I'm worried for Louise, and I don't want to leave her alone right now-"

"Go."

Emiya blinked. That was the first word Louise had spoken in an hour.

"Master...?"

Louise shook her head. "If the Headmaster wants to talk to you, Emiya, then you shouldn't keep him waiting. Even as a castoff Noble, protocol has to be followed, you know."

Emiya narrowed his eyes. The way Louise had said those words, in such a defeated and empty tone, caused him to favor leaving her side less and less. But then if he didn't, it was highly likely that her life would be made even more miserable.

"...Very well. Siesta." He addressed the maid and got to his feet. "Lead the way."

* * *

Louise slumped the moment that Emiya left the hall with the maid.

Everything was going wrong. Even though Emiya was here, class had gone exactly as she thought it would. Summoning a Noble... who would believe that? And even if she made Emiya show them his familiar runes now, she would still be the laughing stock of the academy for binding a Mage and apparent Noble.

"...Mother's going to kill me when she hears of this."

Her words were barely audible to even herself.

She had been happy that Emiya stood up for her, but now Headmaster Osmond was going to talk to him. Probably to find a way to take him away from Louise.

_After all, 'Zero' has nothing else to offer!_

That jeer echoed through her mind.

It hurt. Not because of the way it was said, but because of its truth. She didn't have anything to offer, and when the Headmaster saw that, he would force Emiya to leave.

And she'd be alone again.

"...I feel sick."

Her stomach turned. Everything was going wrong now. The worst case scenario was coming true.

"Oh? It looks like the 'Zero' is all alone again."

She looked up to see a male student with tan skin and shaggy brown hair standing near her. A few other students were there as well, all males.

"Guess she wasn't good enough for the Mage, right guys?"

Cruel laughter.

She was alone.

* * *

Emiya felt uneasy. The Headmaster's Office was located on the topmost floor of the central tower, far away from the dining hall. That in itself was worrying, but coupled with the sensation that he had missed something earlier, a critical fact that he should not have missed.

"Um... Sir Emiya."

The sound of Siesta's voice took him out of his thoughts.

He blinked. Right. He was with her at the moment. He should not be rude.

"I don't mean to intrude," Siesta continued. "But... why is a Noble like you serving Miss Valliere?"

He sighed.

They were almost to the top floor now.

"I told you, Siesta, I am no Noble, merely someone who protects those who need to be protected."

Siesta frowned. "But... the rumors say you created over a thousand swords when you were summoned. Is that true?"

He nodded. "Yes. But why do you ask?"

"That would make you... upper Square level, would it not? Why serve a young girl who's still learning?" Siesta tilted her head in thought. "If you are someone who protects those who need to be protected, wouldn't your skills be put to better use elsewhere?"

There was a slight plaintive tone in the way she said those words.

More proof that the Nobility here are similar to those he knew.

"Perhaps. But Siesta," Emiya said. "Louise is one who truly needs me. Especially now."

There was that strange sensation again, a sort of gnawing at the back of his mind that he was forgetting something important.

He shook his head. "She is a young girl with great potential. Especially since she summoned me, and not a simple animal."

"So you just want to see her succeed?"

Emiya frowned, considering his words. "Not just that. Louise is... fragile. I haven't known her long, but I can tell that she has no one here to help her."

Siesta looked like she was going to argue with that, but he cut her off.

"She may be a Noble, but from what I can tell her peers and even the teachers do not think highly of her, as if they expect her to fail."

That gave Siesta pause. "...I see. Yes, that makes sense from what I've heard."

Another flash of what he would call 'anger'. "She has no one to turn to, and is surrounded by foes on all sides. Not only that, but she is trapped by her status. That is something I cannot allow."

Siesta smiled, nodding. "She's someone who needs to be protected?"

Emiya smiled as well. "Indeed." That smile quickly faded. "And that is why I don't want to stay away from her long. Something is wrong, I can feel it."

Siesta shook her head. "I'm sure she'll be fine without you for a few moments, Sir Emiya... ah. Here we are."

She came to a halt in front of a door. "The Headmaster should be waiting for you."

A trap. There were three four Mages in that room, two of a level that could wound him.

He paused.

While he was sure that he couldn't be killed by these mages, wounds would slow him down. And it would be troublesome as well.

"Sir Emiya?"

Siesta gave him a confused look. "The Headmaster's waiting."

No time then. Hesitation would reflect poorly on Louise, as well as waste his time.

Nothing left to do then advance.

He opened the doors and was immediately struck by a wave of magic.

* * *

"Styx. Manican. Ajax."

Louise addressed each of the students in kind, giving them a slight nod. She clutched her wand though, in case things got out of hand.

"What brings you here?"

She ignored their words. They weren't true, and acknowledging them would only draw more trouble towards her.

Styx sneered. "Isn't it obvious, Valliere?"

He laughed. "We want to know what you did to fake your summoning. It's what _everyone's_ talking about."

Again with that. She was right then.

Louise shook her head. "I didn't fake it. He was the one I summoned."

Mocking laughter from the trio of boys.

"Spare us the lies, Valliere. Even if you don't admit it, we know what you did."

A glint in his eyes, and a leer. "Since you wouldn't have enough money to pay for his services, and you have no magic to impress him, it's obvious that you-"

"I suggest you hold your tongue, Styx."

Louise turned towards the newcomer. "...Guiche?"

It was the blonde philanderer. He had been one of those that had ridiculed her in the past, so why was he standing up for her now?

The blonde turned towards Louise, his expression serious for once, and then at the three males. "It's unbecoming to insinuate such things of a lady."

Louise scowled.

Of course. He just wanted to play the hero.

"I don't need your help, Guiche."

Styx scoffed. "What, planning to pursue Valliere as well? Or did she... reward you for standing up, Gramont?"

Louise flushed at that. "As if I'd-"

Guiche narrowed his eyes, deadly serious. "I said. Hold. Your. Tongue."

* * *

Emiya fired off two swords in the direction of the spells.

One was deflected wide by a burst of white hot flames, and the other was brushed aside by wind.

In the next step, he was in the center of the room, armed with an enhanced Annealed Blade. The appearance of the silver long sword was accompanied by Emiya loading 'Nine Lives' from his repository.

"...I told you he was dangerous, Headmaster."

It was the professor from the summoning. Mr. Colbert.

"Indeed you did, Colbert. Indeed you did."

The speaker of those words was an old man. With a long, flowing gray beard and wizened eyes, as well as staff and white robes, he appeared the archetype of an Arch Magus, or a Wizard from Fantasy.

That only put Emiya more on guard.

There was a green-haired woman standing off to the side, and that teacher from Louise's class as well, but they only remained silent and stared at Emiya with wide eyes.

Siesta stepped into the room immediately after and gasped. "What are you doing, Headmaster? Mr. Colbert?"

Ah. So the old man was the Headmaster. How fitting. But even then...

"Why did you attack me?"

Colbert never lowered his staff, the tip still glowing with white flame.

The Headmaster, on the other hand, let out a weary sigh. "We did not intend to. The spells used were only 'Detect Magic' and one to detect compulsions and love potions."

That flash of 'anger' turned into an ember. "...And why would you do that?"

They were trying his patience. And to do such a thing was never a good idea.

Perhaps the Headmaster sensed the hostility in his voice, as the old man held up his hands. "We had to know. You have to admit that summoning a Noble for a familiar is unprecedented, Sir. And for Miss Valliere to do so, especially with her record of failures... well, we wanted to avoid any incidents. And considering you are a fairly handsome young man only a few years older than her..."

Siesta gasped. "Headmaster! You-"

So that was it then. The reason why he was separated from Louise was because they thought he was compelled. No. That wasn't the issue here. What mattered was that they believed it necessary in the first place.

Louise was a kind-hearted individual, and desperately needed support. The Headmaster could have put a stop to the bullying, that much he knew, especially from the feat of magic he had just witnessed. The fact that he didn't, and that he actually _believed_ Louise to be a person that would stoop to such levels...

The air turned frigid. Sharp.

Though he had never experienced it himself, he knew from tales of others that everyone in the room would feel as if a blade was pressed against their neck.

"I see." He turned towards Siesta, who flinched at his intense gaze. "Do you understand now, Siesta? This is why I must be by her side. No one believes her."

"S-sir Emiya..."

He walked out of the room. "I'm returning to my Master now. Pray that she is unharmed in the time that you have wasted."

And then he was gone.

"...That could have gone better." Headmaster Osmond frowned and rubbed at his throat.

Colbert did the same and sighed. "And we still don't know why he's here."

Siesta looked at the two Square mages with disgust. "You... hmph!"

She spun on her heel and walked out, not even bothering to finish her sentence.

Nobles... they really were the worst.

* * *

The dining hall was in an uproar.

The tables had been pushed aside, and the students scattered throughout the halls. Sides were chosen and lines were drawn, with fellow peers fighting against another, either with fists or words.

Chaos.

-But as chaotic as it was, there was a center to the madness.

Louise.

She was trapped against a wall by a tan boy with brown hair and sideburns.

Her wand had been taken away and tossed aside. Even if it hadn't, she couldn't pull her wrists free from Styx's grasp.

Madness. A situation like this shouldn't occur. Even Nobles have standards.

But... there was a limit. Rumors become the truth, and the truth was that Louise was a person who would 'reward' anyone to get what she wanted.

A small rumor blown out of proportion by a casual remark. And to most Nobles, she deserved what would be coming next, especially for enslaving or coercing another to be her familiar.

A sin.

And sinners had to be punished.

Off to the side, Guiche was brawling with the other two boys with Styx. He was one of the few who disagreed, and was putting up a good fight. The fact that he was upholding chivalry pushed him onwards, but the others were older and more experienced. Even coming from a military family, Guiche was losing.

Kirche was another who disagreed, and was running towards Louise.

"Styx!" She drew her wand, consequences be damned. "Stay away from her! I didn't want you to do this!"

Louise struggled to break free, but the older boy was too strong for her. With an almost casual air, he turned towards Kirche. "Oh, that's fine. I do, and I'm sure Valliere doesn't mind. She probably did it for that Noble anyway."

"You idiot!" Kirche was getting closer. "Valliere would never do something like that! She's not me!"

Styx shrugged. "Well, I'll just have to-"

The doors slammed open, and a silver wind blew past them all.

Styx was thrown across the room, crashing into his friends.

The Sword had been drawn.

* * *

"...Are you harmed, Master?"

Louise slumped against the wall. A combination of relief, adrenaline, and fear left her unable to do anything else.

She wrapped her arms around herself and pulled her legs to her chest.

Seeing that, the ember of 'anger' the Sword had turned to a roaring flame.

He scanned the surroundings.

That blonde boy was just getting up from the ground, and brushed blood away from his mouth. He had stood up for Louise when the Sword wasn't there.

He gave the boy a small nod, which he returned.

The red-haired young woman was in mid-stride, wand drawn. It seemed that she had been on the verge of defending Louise as well, even if she had been hostile this morning.

"Louise!"

Genuine concern. The young woman... Kirche, ran past Emiya and approached Louise. "He didn't do anything, did he? I swear to Brimir if that idiot Styx did, I'll..."

Louise shook her head, but didn't talk.

A supporter. Good. He could leave his Master in her care for the time being then.

The aggressors had risen.

"You...! Who do you think you are!" The leader, a young man with sideburns and tan skin scowled. "Did she put you up to this too?"

_Enemy._

No. He couldn't cut him down. Not yet. First...

"Apologize. All of you."

He had to give them the chance. That was protocol.

"...What?" The young man with sideburns narrowed his eyes. "Are you joking?"

"No. Apologize to my Master this instant, and I shall let this slight pass."

The dining hall was deathly silent. Those that were fighting had frozen, smothered by the tension in the air and the Sword's expression.

Even so, the young man who had harassed Louise only laughed. It was quickly joined by the two behind him.

With a haughty expression on his tanned face, he said, "No."

The Sword stepped forward. Twice, the offer had been declined.

Now he could take matters into his own hands.

"Then I demand a duel in recompense. My Master's honor has been harmed, and you have stepped beyond your bounds."

A collective gasp rang out through the crowd.

* * *

A nightmare. Today was a nightmare. The worst nightmare she could have.

Louise hugged herself tighter.

Useless. The moment that Emiya had gone, everything had turned upside down.

She was right. Even if it wasn't true, to the eyes of everyone else, she had committed a fatal sin.

"Louise."

That was Zerbst. She was being kind for once. And Guiche had been as well, standing up for her.

Louise let out a bitter smile. _Couldn't they have done that sooner?_

She shook her head. No, she shouldn't be spiteful. Any ally was good at the moment, especially since the situation was as bad as she had thought it was.

After all, _they_ had just stood by and watched, letting her be alone.

But Emiya was back.

Her familiar... the man she had summoned had returned.

Safe. She was safe. As long as he was here, she would be safe.

"Louise?"

She watched Emiya's back as he stepped towards Styx and his friends.

And then she knew no more, the exhaustion of the day sending her into unconsciousness.

* * *

The Sword could see a glimmer of fear in the boy's eyes.

Good.

That was the way to deal with Nobles. Trap them into a duel with plenty of witnesses and phrase it in a way that they could not refuse.

If he said no, then the boy was shown to be weak, and his status ruined.

If he said yes, Emiya was free to dole as much punishment as he wanted.

Hesitation, but it seemed the boy realized he was trapped.

Nervous laughter. "You're funny, but duels aren't allowed between Mages in the Academy." That turned into a seed of confidence, and the boy's nerves calmed, turning into a cocky air. "Tough luck, but I'm going to have to say no."

Emiya smiled, one that didn't reach his eyes and seemed more like a cut across his face than an expression of happiness or satisfaction. "It is fortunate then that I am a familiar."

He dissolved the front of his armor to reveal the runes.

There. Undeniable proof.

Emiya tilted his head. "So a duel then. Honor must be upheld as you are a Noble, correct?"

The boy growled, and then said, "Fine! I accept!"

This time, a wicked smile crossed Emiya's face. "Good. The time and place is here and now. To the death."

Another gasp throughout the students.

He turned towards the crowd and said, "Clear the area."

And then it was just he and the one who had debased Louise.

An example must be set.

* * *

As the room was cleared, Emiya couldn't help but think of how the teachers didn't step in. How they failed in their job to protect one who needed them the most.

"Prepare yourself, Mage."

The voice of the boy brought him out of his thoughts.

The boy's wand had been raised, and all traces of fear were gone. Instead, there was a cocky arrogance.

Interesting. It seemed that he had forgotten Emiya's display. That or he had written it off as an illusion.

Foolish.

"I am Styx Feneos, the Undertow." He raised his wand, briefly glancing at Kirche.

Ah. So it is not so much underestimation as bravado.

Even more foolish.

"I will send you to a watery grave, Mage."

Emiya raised his arm, selecting the sword to pull forth from that World of His. "I am the Sword of Akasha."

...That would do.

His blade appeared in a flash of light, his Annealed Blade appearing once more in his hands.

Murmurs broke out amongst the students.

"No way... Silver?"

"Isn't that Square-class? And to use it as a sword?"

"It is." That last voice was the blonde who had aided Louise. "And it's not just silver... there's steel in it too."

Styx scoffed. "You think to match me like a commoner, Sword of Akasha? Fine."

He waved his wand, tendrils of water gathering around the tip. "Then die like one!"

A barrage of razor sharp water surged towards Emiya.

He narrowed his eyes, and time ground to a halt, compressed under a mind of steel.

It would not do to just kill him. That would only show Emiya to be a blood-thirsty demon and further damage Louise's reputation.

No. He would break everything sent his way and then force the boy to beg for mercy.

Time resumed.

The Sword advanced, and a blur of steel cut the watery whips.

Styx growled. "So your name isn't just for show... fine! Let me show you why I'm called the Undertow!"

A surge of energy gathered in the boy's wand.

It was impressive for one his age. The towering pillar of water he held was equally impressive.

...But it wasn't enough.

"Meet your maker, Sword!"

Water surged.

Emiya held up his hand.

* * *

Louise opened her eyes.

"..liere? Valliere? Are you awake?"

A voice. Familiar, but one she wasn't used to hearing in that concerned tone.

Kirche let out a sigh of relief, and then focused. "You have to stop your familiar! He's dueling Styx to the death!"

"What?"

That cleared Louise's mind as the past events raced through her head.

Emiya leaving to meet the Headmaster, Styx assaulting her and Guiche, though he thankfully didn't get anywhere, and then Emiya's return-

"Oh no."

She saw it. A swirling mass of water, rushing towards Emiya. Even if he was a skilled Earth Mage, against Water-!

"Emiya!"

It crashed, and water flooded the stone floor of the dining hall. More than a few students were swept aside as the spell continued.

"That's... he's not holding back." Kirche shook her head. "Stupid Styx."

Louise turned her gaze back to the duel. The water had encased Emiya, a continuing cascade that pressed down on him. Even if he could cast spells, against something like that, he would drown.

He would drown.

"No..."

* * *

The Sword narrowed his eyes.

_This has gone on long enough_.

No matter how much the teachers turned a blind eye, after a spell like that was cast, even they were sure to come running.

He had to finish this now. That was likely the boy's finishing spell, so there was no point in playing around any longer.

He swung his sword, and the water splashed to the ground as the makeup of the spell broke.

Emiya could see the boy take a step back in surprise, which turned to fear.

Another spell was on his lips as he raised his wand.

Emiya crossed the distance in a flash.

Numerous razor sharp whips launched towards Emiya, too fast to dodge and too numerous to cut at once.

Blood splattered to the ground, and flesh was severed.

The duel had finished.

* * *

This is the Tiger Dojo. Take the advice?

Note. Tiger Dojo is a strange hint corner. If you would like to finish the story by yourself, or if you would like to keep the characters' images, please be warned.

1. Yes

2. No

* * *

**Tiger Dojo**

Ilya smiled and waved. "Welcome back, Reader-san!"

"Yosh!" Taiga clapped her hands. "Welcome back to the Tiger Dojo!"

A somber expression crossed her face. "Poor Louise-chan. Everything's just gone terrible for her."

Ilya nodded, also somber. "Why did they do that, Sensei? How come no one helped her?"

Taiga sighed. "It's the Noble pride. While a few, like Guiche-kun, uphold chivalry and refuse to allow such a fate to occur, the rest thought Louise had seriously done something wrong. Even the Headmaster and Colbert thought so."

Ilya frowned. "But... they're Nobles? Shouldn't they prevent something like that?"

Taiga nodded. "They should... but then again, no one's summoned another Noble, or even a Mage as a familiar before. Combined with Louise-chan's failure rate, they thought that she had resorted to more... illicit affairs."

Ilya growled. "Stupid!"

"Yes. Really stupid. And now they're going to have to deal with an angry 'Sword' after the duel... as well as Louise's mom."

"...Oh." Ilya gave wicked grin. "That's not going to end well for them, is it?"

Taiga matched her grin. "Not at all, my student. Not at all. As harsh as she might be, Louise's mom still cares for her."

She sobered. "But the more important matter should be..."

She raised a fist towards the sky. "Why are you so mean, Wizard! Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you should make things so dark this early! Sure, summoning a Noble has repercussions, but really!? Really?!"

"Um... Sensei?"

"And what's with the blatantly evil student? Couldn't you just have used Guiche-kun or done something lighter? Come on! There isn't even a basis for Styx to be a water user!"

"Sensei, I really think you should-"

"You've got a lot to answer for Wi- Oh."

A notecard was floating in front of her.

'No ranting, or else you'll be stuck in an... embarrassing situation next time.'

"Hah!" Taiga laughed. "You think that scares me, Wizard? The truth must- mmph!"

Ilya waved with one hand, the other clamped over Taiga's mouth. "That's all for now, Reader-san! We'll see you next time! Bye!"

And then the dojo faded from view, darkness filling the void once more.

**End Tiger Dojo **

* * *

A/N: Well... that went darker than expected. Um... yeah. This might be a bit much, but at the same time I kinda like the way this is. Though I'm not sure if it's pushing it or not... thoughts on that would be very much appreciated. Like if this is realistic, or if I veered off track.

...Yeah. Not much more to say here. Got through breakfast and class one. Met the Headmaster. The Sword got ticked off, and his impression of Nobility just plummeted.

And Styx was the sacrificial sheep.

Well, maybe. I'll leave you guys to guess how the duel ended for the time being.

I hope it was a good read, and remember to leave a review. I greatly appreciate the feedback, and it helps me improve this story for the future. While I might take a while in responding to them, since I'm even busier recently, know that I do read each one. I would add though that if you have a burning question to send a PM, since it's kinda hard to keep track of every review that I've answered/still need to answer.

Yeah.

Until the next!


	5. Sword of Origin: Aftermath

_**Sword of Origin: Aftermath**_

Emiya stood, blood dripping from the shallow slashes that the wind spells had carved along his arms. Beneath him was the corpse of the boy that had dared to try and harm Louise, dead for all his bravado.

It had all gone to the boy's head, and now that was gone, forever frozen in an expression of fearful shock.

Emiya flicked the blood off his blade and looked at the corpse with a bit of regret. He had wanted to make the boy beg for his life, not kill him outright. He might have even let him off with a severed hand or arm. That would have vindicated Louise.

And the message would have been clear; those that laid a hand on Louise would lose it. Short, simple, and relatively bloodless.

Of course, the boy's life had been forfeit when someone decided to interfere.

He turned around, his blade still in hand, and glared at the source of the spells. Not out of pain, no. The winds, while sharp, were nothing to him and was on par with an irate woman scratching someone with her nails.

Bloody and irritating, but nothing serious.

"...The last people to interfere in one of my duels were met with a rain of a hundred swords." He glared at the young girl with blue-green hair and the wizened old man standing by her side. Both had their staves pointed at him.

"Too late," the girl said.

Emiya blinked. So she had intended to stop him? And from the fact that the Headmaster was by her side, it seemed that she decided to get backup as well.

A flash of 'anger' again. She was Louise's peer, and a girl at that. She would also have been present for the start of the events... she should have sympathized.

He released that line of thought.

Steel. His mind was of steel.

The situation could not afford irrationality.

He didn't know what was derailing his thoughts, but he had to focus.

The Headmaster was looking at the devastated dining hall. He frowned at the flooded area and then narrowed his eyes when he saw the crimson slowly spreading throughout it.

Only the barest of glances was spared to the corpse, though Emiya caught a flicker of shock and remorse in the old man's face, while the man's attention shifted to Louise, who was wide-eyed and being comforted by Kirche.

The Headmaster sighed, but never lowered his staff. "It seems that we were, young Tabitha, despite the speed of your Wind Dragon and warning."

The old man looked around at his students, each with varying expressions of shock, disgust, fear, or outright terror, and then said, "To your dorms, all of you. The other teachers have already been informed and will remain on patrol throughout the rest of the night to ensure your safety."

At that, most of the students fled the scene, scampering away like terrified rabbits before a wolf.

It amused Emiya a bit, especially when the accomplices of Styx tried to leave with them.

A cage of swords stopped that. He couldn't let them off quite yet, not after standing behind the foul boy.

Emiya felt wind gathering and turned to see the Headmaster glaring at him. "Release them."

He pointedly ignored the old man and surveyed the dining hall.

Louise was sitting by Kirche against a wall and looked sick. The red-head herself seemed a bit off color, but was otherwise fine.

It seemed like she, at least, wasn't a stranger to death while his Master was.

Interesting.

The girl with blue-green hair had moved to stand by Kirche's side, eyes sharp and observant. Like the Headmaster, her staff was pointed directly at Emiya, ready to cast at a moment's notice.

The blonde boy who stood up for Louise was missing. Likely to get treated for his wounds. He hadn't been one of the students running in fear, now that Emiya thought back to the mass exodus. There was potential there, that was sure.

"I said, release them." The Headmaster's voice was sharp, dangerously so.

The tone brought Emiya out of his thoughts.

Were he a simple human, he might have been intimidated. As it was, the tone of voice only irritated him.

"Not until they apologize to Louise... and have been dealt the appropriate punishment."

Like a cursed scar or two on the face. That would do it.

The wind picked up, and he felt mana build in the Headmaster's wooden staff.

Emiya raised his sword, prepared to counter any attack.

And then the doors to the dining hall burst open as Colbert and Siesta dashed in.

Both stopped when they saw the corpse lying at Emiya's feet.

Emiya sighed. Troublesome. Too many witnesses and diverging opinions to silence with his blade.

And Louise looked to be in shock.

Before anyone could so much as blink, Emiya shattered the cage of swords surrounding the two boys. For the most part, they were fine, though a few stray fragments might have 'accidently' lacerated their faces.

As expected, a flurry of spells, fire and wind, flew towards him. And as expected, they did little to no damage.

While deemed a threat, none of the Mages were going all out in trying to end his life.

Foolish.

"You two," he said to the scarred boys. "Apologize to her, now."

A pair of frantic nods and shuffling feet. They would be tripping over their own legs to appease Emiya now after what they had seen.

Not exactly the outcome he wanted or had in mind when he started the duel, but it would do for the moment.

With that done, he turned to meet the pair of furious Square Mages.

There were words to be exchanged between them.

* * *

Emiya was in the Headmaster's office again, along with the Headmaster himself and that Professor Colbert. But unlike last time, Siesta and the other mages weren't present. Instead, Louise was here, lying down on a conjured bed and curled up in slumber.

Notably, that bed was behind both of the powerful Mages before him and behind the Headmaster's desk.

Colbert was standing directly in front of her and held his staff at the ready, eyes narrowed and prepared to act at the slightest hint of danger from Emiya.

The headmaster was seated at his desk with his hands laced together. A complete and serious air was about him, giving him the appearance of an all powerful supreme Magus.

Emiya forced away the irrational 'anger' that flared up. He hadn't noticed it earlier in the duel, but under these circumstances he could, and did.

He would need the cool nature of steel for this confrontation.

The headmaster spoke, a severe tone underlying the grandfatherly voice. "Who are you?"

Emiya considered the question. He had given his title and true name earlier in the duel, an act of irrationality that would not happen again if he could help it. Still, he doubted that the old man would accept anything less than the truth, and seemed skilled in detecting falsehoods. Or rather, it seemed the old man was looking for an excuse to pin blame on Emiya.

Eventually, Emiya said, "Louise's summoned familiar and her Sword."

That caused a scoff from the Headmaster, though Colbert did nothing in response to Emiya's words. It seemed that the fire Mage had decided to adopt a 'wait and watch' approach now.

Like before, when he didn't hold back the insults from Louise's peers.

Another flash of 'anger'.

He suppressed it.

"I meant your name, boy. We already know that you're Miss Valliere's 'Familiar'."

Emiya briefly considered the feasability of erasing the impertinent old man from existance, but discarded the thought.

Too much effort for a trifling matter, not to mention the setback in his abilties the action would cause.

"He asked you a question."

That was from Colbert. It seemed the man was growing impatient.

"...Emiya."

That would be all they got from him. Such unreliable men did not deserve to know the full name of his Maker.

After seeing that he wouldn't be forthcoming with more information, the Headmaster nodded. "Emiya, then."

The old man narrowed his eyes. "Now Emiya. Why did you challenge a student in a politically neutral academy to a duel to the death?"

Probing for information. Likely on the assumption that he was an outside agent, judging from the emphasis of 'politically neutral'.

"He deserved it."

Nothing more, nothing less.

A raised brow from the headmaster. "Pray tell, Emiya."

Emiya blinked. "...You're joking."

That couldn't be right. You would have to be blind not to understand the situation that had occurred.

"My Master was almost forced to do unspeakable things in the middle of an occupied lunch room! Not only that, it could easily have been prevented had there been teachers to chaperone!"

He glowered at the Headmaster and Colbert, but this time they didn't flinch.

"You exaggerate the situation, Emiya." The Headmaster shook his head. "From Miss Zerbst's report, and that of the other students, the situation would have been prevented from going that far. Miss Zerbst herself was in the process of disabling the now departed Styx Feneos, and Chevalier Tabitha would have done so had Miss Zerbst failed."

Tabitha...? Ah, that must have been the name of the blue-haired girl. Even so-

"No, I do not."

There was an urge, the grating of the steel inside his body to cut down this foolish old man where he stood.

Again, Emiya suppressed it.

Barely.

He glanced at Louise, who was curled protectively around a pillow, her legs tucked close to her chest.

"And you have no right to speak," Emiya said. "Especially considering what my Master has endured while studying at your 'academy'."

The Headmaster closed his eyes for a moment, as if suppressing his emotions, and then said, "What I do is for the future of Tristain and the students." He opened his eyes and fixed an intense gaze on Emiya. "One of whom you have murdered in plain sight of the others!"

A spark of lightning and slight rustling of wind filled the room.

"Murder?" Emiya laughed. "No. That boy knew what he was getting into. A duel is made of one's volition. Had he declined, he would not have died."

A loud bang echoed throughout the room.

"An unsanctioned duel! He was a student, and you, Emiya, are a fully grown and powerful Square-class Mage! Do you even understand what you have done?"

The wind and lightning increased.

Colbert's eyes widened at the sight, though they narrowed again and he adjusted his grip on his staff.

Combat seemed inevitable-

"No... stay away from me!"

Louise's panicked voice cut throughout the wind.

Emiya snapped his gaze towards her to see his young Master turning on the bed, clearly distraught.

He walked towards her.

Colbert raised that staff, fire again gathered on its tip.

Emiya ignored it.

"You are going nowhere with Miss Valliere until-"

In an instant, Emiya had grabbed Louise and now held her in a bridal hold.

To the Mages, it looked like nothing more than a flash of silver.

"...We are done here. This farce has gone long enough."

He turned his back on the two mages. They seemed fit to sweep the incident under the rug, and were actually defending the vile boy.

A wave of magic, wind and fire. Non-lethal and meant to incapacitate, but it would have severely wounded an ordinary human.

Still, they were not taking him seriously.

Steel cut through the air, sundering the bonds that gathered the mana incorporated in the spells.

"Impossible..."

That was the Headmaster's muttered voice.

He ignored it and continued on his way. "We will continue this conversation tomorrow, when my Master is awake and both of you have considered the situation more. Good bye."

A silver blur was the only sign that Emiya had been in the room.

* * *

Osmond sighed and leaned back in his chair. His right hand rubbed his forehead, trying in vain to stem the incoming migraine.

"...That didn't go as planned," Colbert said. "Again."

The middle-aged fire user stared at the open doors, a strange expression on his face.

"Indeed," Osmond said. "It seems that young Louise's familiar is as prone to violence as her spells are."

He shook his head.

How did it get out of hand so fast? Colbert had informed Osmond earlier of the possible backlash of Louise's summoning, especially when she had summoned a person who appeared to be an extremely talented Mage. Creating over a thousand swords at once was no small feat, that much Osmond knew, and only General Gramont could boast a similar ability, but even the famed General was capable of only a couple hundred at best.

"Did you notice, Headmaster?"

Colbert's strange words brought him out of his thoughts. "What is it?"

The middle-aged fire user frowned. "That young man... Emiya. None of his magic was performed with a wand. And when I used detect magic..."

Osmond nodded. He knew exactly what Colbert was talking about, and that was what worried him the most.

Normally, the spell 'Detect Magic' was used to determine if something was magical. Namely an appraisal spell commonly used on artifacts to determine if they are enchanted or not.

Used on items, the user is able to see a sort of 'aura' around it if magic is present. The colors present and the intensity of the aura corresponded to the elemental alignment of the magic it possessed.

Red for 'Fire', Blue for 'Water', Green for 'Wind', Yellow for 'Earth', Black for 'Void', and then White for 'Ancient Magic'.

Unfortunately, this categorization wasn't as clear cut on living beings. Due to the fluctuating nature of inherent magic rather than the stable nature of completed enchantments, at best, the caster of 'detect magic' would only be able to see the strength of the target's magic by the intesity of the light around them, which was an unidentifiable color.

Emiya's light had been blinding... and a pure Silver.

"...We will have to keep an eye on young Louise," Osmond muttered.

Colbert nodded.

Osmond sighed again.

Silver, a metallic shade of gray. A ruthless young man called 'Emiya' whose runic name was the 'Sword of Akasha'.

Louise, the youngest daughter of Karin the Heavy Wind. A young girl whose spells ended in explosive failures... and yet had summoned a young man capable of Square-class if not greater magic.

A young girl whose mother was extremely over-protective and capable of rending castle walls with a single spell.

A young girl who was accused of illicit affairs without proof, was almost subjected to a young man's desires, and who had seemingly bound an extremely competent combat-oriented Mage against his will, who was now subservient to the extent he was willing to kill a young man in plain sight before other children.

The old man suppressed a groan and rubbed his forehead again, trying in vain to stop the incoming migraine.

Karin wasn't going to be happy about this, not one bit...

* * *

This is the Tiger Dojo. Take the advice?

Note. Tiger Dojo is a strange hint corner. If you would like to beat the game by yourself, or if you would like to keep the characters' images, please be warned.

1. Yes

2. No

* * *

**Tiger Dojo**

"E-eh? I have to wear this?!"

Ilya sighed at Taiga's antics. "He warned you, Sensei. Really, you should know better than to disagree with the Wizard."

"B-but, I'm... I mean something like_ this_...!"

Ilya narrowed her eyes. "Sensei. Reader-san's waiting for you. Come on already."

Taiga let out a deep sigh and stepped out from a curtained corner of the dojo.

Pink. That was the immediate impression one would get from seeing the outfit she wore. Frilly and lacy would be the next.

Taiga smoothed down the front of her skirt, cheeks flushed. Unlike her typical hakama, fit for kendo, Taiga was dressed in an outfit that could have come straight out of a 'magical girl' anime.

Which it did. Madoka's, to be exact.

"W-welcome to the Tiger Dojo..."

"Yosh!" Ilya's energetic shout made up for her Sensei's weak greeting. "Welcome back, Reader-san!"

Taiga tugged at her collar and chest. "So tight..."

Ilya ignored her Sensei and said, "So the Wizard would like to apologize for the wait and short chapter. He's been really sick recently, as well as occupied with certain events in his life."

"Hah!" Taiga jabbed a finger towards the ceiling. "Serves you right, you-"

Ilya bopped her Sensei on the head and continued. "Anyway, he hopes that this makes up a bit for the absence, and he'll do his best to get a more comprehensive chapter out soon."

Taiga glared at Ilya, but then sighed. "There's no helping it I guess... Ahem." She turned towards the front. "So, Reader-san! There've been a lot of mixed responses to Louise's plight."

Ilya nodded. "The situation escalated really fast."

"Right." Taiga nodded. "But more importantly, why didn't Colbert and the Headmaster do anything to stop it? And where was Tabitha?"

"Mmhm." Ilya nodded. "We see a bit of that here. To anyone wondering, Tabitha went to get the Headmaster as soon as the situation started. She hopped on her dragon and went straight up to get them as soon as those jerks started their move. Emiya had a bit of a head start though, so he made it down before Tabitha could get the Headmaster."

"And then that jerk got his head chopped off!"

"Sensei!" Ilya pursed her lips. "You shouldn't talk ill of the dead!"

"Pft!" Taiga crossed her arms, or at least started to. The pink outfit she was wearing was too tight though, and she settled for lowering them instead, so that it wouldn't tear apart. "He deserved it. Although..." Taiga frowned. "How come Emiya was damaged, Ilya? I would have thought that someone like him would only be harmed by Void magic or the elves, if anything?"

Ilya raised her eyebrow. "And you know that because...?"

"H-hey!" Taiga pouted. "I read the script too, you know!"

Ilya shook her head, then turned back to the front. "I suppose Reader-san is wondering too... well, the Wizard left an explanation sheet here, so why don't you look at that?"

She pulled out a piece of paper from her bloomers and held it out.

* * *

_For pure damage calculations, assume a ranked scale E-A. E is equal to 10, D is 20, C is 30, B is 40, and A is 50. A '+' adds the equivalent amount of the current rank, i.e. 'A+'=50+50=100. This number is a multiplier based on the average person's ability._

_Sword of Akasha has resistance to A-ranked spells and below while focusing on defense and not using his pool of prana for any other abilities. This means he has a resistance of 50._

_In Halkeginia, the magic is similar to that of Gaia's, but on a different measuring scale. Dot ranked magic is equal to 20, or D if on Gaia's scale, Line is 40, Triangle is 60, and Square is 80. Basically a '20' increase for every tier of magic. _

_Void is 100, the hexagon combination of the Royal Family 120, and Void with the Heart of God would be 140._

_Ancient Magic does pure damage of 50, regardless of resistance._

_The magic in ZnT is stronger, since Brimir found a way to engraft a system that speaks directly to the World to enact the miracles. A mad genius, he connected his System to the Major Leylines of Halkegnia. Because of this, the fact that said system has been around for 6000 years and believed throughout the continent, and because they are utilizing the world's mana to execute spells rather than one's od means that the spells are much stronger than the average magus of the Clock Tower._

_Now, this matters only in terms of resistance to the spell itself. Since Emiya's Magic Resistance is 50, that means that only Triangle mages and above would be able to harm him. 60-50=10, after all. However, that 10 that's left over is further influenced by his body's resistance to the physical phenomena that the spell was meant to create. Emiya's endurance is B, which means a body with an endurance 40 times greater than an average person. _

_So, while the spell is 10 times greater than what a normal person could deal with, it's nothing more than a scratch against Emiya's body._

_Square magic could wound him, and Void magic could end him since the pure damage surpasses his endurance, but the length of the chant for a fully powered spell makes the odds of it happening low._

* * *

Ilya sighed. "These upstart brats have it too good, don't you think, Reader-san?"

Taiga nodded, and then paled as she looked at a clock. "Ehe... haven't we passed the alotted time, Ilya-chan?"

Ilya glanced at the clock and gasped. "Oh no."

"Sorry, but that's all for the Tiger Dojo!" Ilya made a swift bow. "Until the next, Reader-san! Bye!"

And then she ran off, leaving Taiga behind.

"W-wait, Ilya! I still need to change!"

The Dojo was quickly fading away.

"Don't leave meeeee!"

And then it was dark.

**End Tiger Dojo**

* * *

A/N: Not much here, I'm afraid. Still recovering from sudden onset of illness, and haven't had chance to answer any reviews. Hope this was enjoyable though, and I'll do my best to get more for both this and 'A Different Path' when I can.

Thanks for reading, and until the next.


End file.
